The people perils of making the Malcolm Hardee Comedy Awards…
The Edinburgh Fringe officially starts tomorrow, though shows often have a tendency to start yesterday. Bizarre and slightly surreal is normal. Talking of which, the Malcolm Hardee Comedy Awards are designed and handmade by eccentric inventor and d…
The Edinburgh Fringe officially starts tomorrow, though shows often have a tendency to start yesterday. Bizarre and slightly surreal is normal.
Talking of which, the Malcolm Hardee Comedy Awards are designed and handmade by eccentric inventor and designer John Ward. Here he explains a little incident which happened to him this week...
It's that time of the year when I put the finishing touches to making the annual Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Awards dedicated to the memory of the sadly missed late Malcolm Hardee.
Two days ago, on a very hot July afternoon, I was working outside just before lunch on my portable workbench when a courier arrived with an expected parcel but, as he wandered down the garden path towards me, he waved the parcel in the air and seemed to have gathered a large grin on seeing me
I checked my zip was not undone.
It was not.
He said he was Pieter the Courier.
In broken English, he enquired what I was doing as I lay out all the Malcolm Hardee Comedy Award parts in no particular order on a board I use so, if I drop down dead… well, I have left no working diagrams as to how they all fit together, but it's not rocket science to fathom out should anybody wish to carry on my life's work whilst I am otherwise indisposed.
"I have left no working diagrams as to how they all fit together..."
Pieter the Courier asked if he could take some photos to send to his sister back in Poland, where she is studying art, as this would "inspire her to great things as I have met a great artist sculptor man".
He then went deep in thought as he asked if the Malcolm Hardee Comedy Awards were related to "the Oscar things they give to film stars".
I outlined how they were different - worlds apart - and the ones he saw before him - admittedly still in bits until the glue dried - are given to people who make other people laugh through their actions… and that some of those who don't win use the same routines but change them slightly and go into politics.
He stared into space after I said that.
He asked if I had a complete one - a complete Award, I assumed - as he would like to take another photo with me holding it or "whatever it is you do" to send to his sister who… yes, yes… you know.
So, after a bit of rummaging about, I found the first 'mock' I made originally and Pieter the Courier went away a happy bunny.
And then the local postman arrived.
On seeing everything laid out on a large board, he said he could spare me five minutes (from his lunch break) to "help pick all the bits up, as we did have a big gust of wind earlier". At one of the places he called, he told me, the roof had blown off their garden tool shed.
I pointed out that what he saw was not any form of wind damage. This was how I laid things out.
After his "You're kidding!" I once again explained everything as I had to Pieter the Courier but, half way through - anxiety or trepidation, call it what you will - I stopped to ask if he had a sister studying art anywhere.
He had not.
I carried on with the explanation.
He left informed, educated and I hope entertained.
I try my best.
The Malcolm Hardee Comedy Award winners will be announced at the end of the Fringe.
The Malcolm Hardee Awards - as envisioned by Gencraft AI - and not too far from the truth
No comments:
Post a Comment